The Difference Between Burton Custom & Custom X

The snowboard market is flooded with hundreds of models, each with their own specific style and purpose and each claiming to be the best snowboard in the world. You will likely never even see all the different boards on the market, not to mention be able to ride them. Therefore it can be a good idea to focus on a specific brand and learn the boards well to find the best one for you.

  1. Burton Boards

    • All Burton boards have an excellent history behind them, ensuring you are in good hands when you buy a Burton. They are pioneers in the snowboarding world and have been around since the 70's. They remain a family-owned company to this day.

    Burton Custom

    • The Burton Custom is a midrange board designed to suit a wide range of rider skills. It has a flex rating of 5 (out of 10), meaning it can be ridden in most any type of condition. You can ride it in the park, in powder and on groomers. It is a twin tip snowboard, meaning the board rides almost exactly the same in either direction. This style lends itself to park riding more than powder or back-country riding.

    Burton Custom X

    • The Burton Custom X is a high-performance board, suited for advanced riding in snowboarding epicenters such as Alaska and Utah. It has a flex rating of 7, meaning the board will have better performance at higher speeds, making it not a great board for urban and park riding, though it should do well in the halfpipe. This is the board you want at a steep mountain on a deep powder day. The Custom X is also lighter than the Custom.

    Price Point

    • The Custom X is significantly more expensive then the Custom, mainly due to the more expensive material needed to decrease weight. The Custom X has a retail price of $729.95 versus $559.95 for the Custom, as of June 2010.

    Comparison

    • By most points, the Custom X is a better board. It is lighter, stiffer and built with higher quality materials. But personal preference and riding style are important. Consider what kind of snowboarder you are. If you live on a smaller mountain with lots of park riding, the Custom might be a perfect fit and you can save
      $200. If you are spending all season in Alaska, the Custom X is probably a better fit.

    Demo Days

    • The best way to know is to ride the board first. Burton has free board demo days across the U.S. that let you try both boards. This is a great way to know for sure which is the best board for you.